Abstract
We briefly describe the present status of laser plasma x-ray sources for various applications. One of the main problems in soft x-ray applications is the production of debris by the source, which degrades the quality of the x-ray optics. To overcome this problem we propose the use of a cryogenic target or a high pressure gas-puff target. The cryogenic target provides x-rays as intense as those from a laser-irradiated solid target. Gas-puff targets are created by the pulsed injection of high-density gas through a nozzle. Experiments with plasmas produced using a gas-puff target irradiated with a Nd: YAG laser are described. The obtained results would allow for the development of an efficient and debrisless laser-produced x-ray source that would be useful for applications in various fields.
